Green Party gubernatorial candidate says primary results could help his campaign

Howie Hawkins is running for governor this fall as a Green Party candidate.

Ellen Abbott
/ WRVO News File Photo

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Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for governor in New York state, likes the position he's in after looking at the results from this week’s gubernatorial primary.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo won with 60 percent of the Democrat vote, while a third of the vote went to liberal Fordham Law School Professor Zephyr Teachout. Hawkins figures that leaves him as the only option for progressives in the fall election.

A UPS worker from Syracuse, Hawkins believes the primary results highlight Cuomo’s weakness among progressive Democrats, saying it validates his reason to run this fall.

"Voters want an alternative to Andrew Cuomo, that they’ve rejected his policies, and I think it’s good news for my campaign,” Hawkins said.

He says progressives are not happy with Cuomo on a number issues, including the controversial gas drilling process known as hydrofracking, a living wage and tax cuts for the rich, as well as corruption. He believes he’s the best place for Teachout supporters to go to in the general election.

“I like where I’m sitting," Hawkins said. "I think we can really fight in this campaign and make it a debate, and change at least the political discussion in the state, if not who ultimately wins.”

Hawkins is also asking Teachout for her support in the general election.

"I’m really going to work hard to get the people who voted for her to vote for me," he explained. "I think if there’s an anti-Cuomo vote, I’m the anti-Cuomo vote. If there’s a progressive vote, I’m the last progressive vote on the ballot.”

He says he figures if he can get the voters who pulled a lever for Teachout to commit to him, he would have a chance to win.

“It’s a long shot, sure," Hawkins said. "He’s got $40 million dollars, at least, and I’m approaching $80,000, so do the math. It’s a perfect metaphor for the one percent and the 99 percent. I'm candidate 99 percent, he’s governor one percent. I think a lot of people in the 99 percent are going to vote for what they want and maybe not get it, than vote for what they don’t want and get it.”

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Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for governor, called for a series of debates with Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Rob Astorino on a range of issues Wednesday, including job creation. Hawkins was critical of both Republican and Democratic economic policies.

The Green Party candidate for governor, making a statewide tour, says there’s always been an alternative, left-leaning candidate for governor and he says his chances to win votes are now better than ever.

Howie Hawkins, a longtime member of the Green Party, has kicked off another campaign for governor of New York, this time with a goal to win four times as many votes as he did four years ago.

Hawkins lives on Syracuse’s south side and works for UPS. Over the years, he’s run for everything from Common Council to Congress.

In 2010, he notched just shy of 60,000 votes and raised $45,000 in his bid for governor. That was more votes than any other third party candidate. He’s hoping to quadruple both those numbers in November.